• “Mind equals blown”

    ~Kyle, WA

    Earlier this year, we asked Microsoft Rewards members to share their favorite Microsoft story.

    Over 125,000 members shared their stories, and here are some of the best. Your stories helped inspire us to build bigger and better experiences for our fans. Thanks a lot!

  • "My favorite part of Microsoft Rewards points is being able to turn these points into finances that I can donate directly to the Boys and Girls Club of America."

    Jordan, OR

    "Minecraft! Need I say more? As parents of two elementary age girls who love to play a new survival game against us old folks. We create 1st challenges: hit bedrock, get iron, get gold, get diamond, find a village, find the temple, get a pet (dog, because the ocelots are too difficult) and my favorite, find the mob spanner and defeat it. We love this bonding time game."

    Tammy, AL

    "I love the Surface. The form factor seems just right - big enough, yet very light, compact, and unobtrusive. I love that I can dynamically switch between using a keyboard and using the touch screen."

    Mark, SD

    "Skype is one of my favorite products because it allows me to talk to my daughter and grandson 1100 miles away. To hear him laugh or say Happy Birthday Paw Paw makes my heart smile. I love seeing those moments."

    Ed, TX

    "I've been using Microsoft Word since the late '80s, when it was version 4.0. I have used it for school, for work, for editing my first novel, and a hundred other uses. Nearly three decades later, I consider my expertise with this software to be one of the reasons for my success."

    Kevin, KS

    "My wife recently had to take a business trip to the Netherlands. Skype was great to see her and share a few minutes here and there. My kids especially like being able to talk to mommy and show her their school work."

    Anthony, CA

    "My granddaughter is 7, and when she comes to visit, she always opens up Cortana to say hello. She asks the funniest questions; even funnier, 90 percent of the time, Cortana has an answer! Love it!"

    Jacqueline, OH

    "I am an avid 'Binger.' I am a nurse on a busy unit, and there are many times a question will come up that we need to do a little research. Bing is the only search I use. It always has what I need, and it is almost always the first thing listed. It's almost as if Bing had a medical degree!"

    Heather, IN

    "Every morning, I start my day with Bing. It gives me the piece of mind to see what is going on in the world. Surfing the web with Bing has become part of my daily routine – just like brushing my teeth. I wouldn't dare face the world without doing either."

    Nancy, MD

    "The first thing I do when I get to work or home is to log on to BING. I look forward to learning something new daily, by taking the quizzes and reading about that day’s beautiful display. The doubleshot quizzes are so much fun. Thank you for making me smile and say WOW everyday. YOU ROCK!!"

    Colleen, PA

    "As a graphic designer, the Surface Pro 4 really does a great job when using Adobe products. It allows me to be creative anywhere. If I'm on the go, I just take it with me then, pull out the kickstand, and get back to what I was working on."

    Caleb, MD

    "I have taught school for 49 years. In making lesson plans, I went from actual cutting and pasting to using Microsoft Publisher. I am such a fan of Publisher that I became known as an expert in my district. Bookmarks, posters and bulletin boards were done for my own use and for others. Thank you for an excellent product."

    Glenda, KS

  • "I met my husband while playing Burnout Revenge on the Xbox 360 9 years ago. He lived in Scotland and I lived in New Mexico, USA. We would spend all day together over chat sessions and fell in love. After I went out to celebrate Christmas with him in 2007, he planned to come to the USA the next year. He never left. We have been so happy and all due to a video game and Xbox Live"

    Elena, NM

    "Cortana constantly reminds me to do my homework on time. If it wasn't for this wonderful assistant I'd likely not be doing so hot in college. Thanks Microsoft!"

    Malcolm, MO

    "THE MICROSOFT SURFACE IS HEAVEN. I really love the computer and it has helped me tremendously with being an Engineering Student."

    Taimur, CA

    "I love how each day the Bing homepage changes its images, from a spooky haunted house to the most secluded areas of our universe. I have searched high and low for everything from astronomy to the latest research on health issues. As a student in computer science and a personal blogger I love that I can find relevant information for almost everything. Even Cortana has even helped me with jokes, news, traffic, and my all-time favorite, weather! Bing has helped me and possibly millions of others do day-to-day searching."

    Matthew, TX

    "I was deployed to Iraq in 2009, one night in October the post that I was stationed at had an incident, which my wife found out. I was able to use a civilian internet to Skype to her. I was able to ensure to her that I was alright."

    John, MT

    "Dear Cortana, Thank you for many, many memorable moments. You can make me laugh when you speak Yoda to me when I'm down, you keep me in line by remembering when I can't. You impress me more each day. From a short note in a song to being a math whiz, you lady, are such an awesome friend and I'd be lost without you! Love, Me."

    Jennifer, KS

    "I love the rewards! My goal is to contribute as many dollars as I can to the charities listed on your Microsoft Rewards page. I feel that my contributions are rewards for those who will benefit in positive ways. I encourage for others to do the same. One change can make a difference."

    Jovanni, CA

    "When I was 15, I had this crazy dream of writing a novel. And I did! It was 300 pages of sweat and tears, and I don't know how I would have done it without my trusty friend, Microsoft Word. From fixing little details like my spelling mistakes and grammar, to autosaving after a power outage, Word was with me in the brightest days and darkest nights."

    Attilio, NY

    "My favorite recent Microsoft moment was seeing them mention FIRST Robotics in a recent quiz and on the Rewards page where Microsoft matched my donated points for a contribution to FIRST. I am a mentor to several FIRST teams from FIRST LEGO League through FIRST Robotics Competition. Knowing that a company I respect supports a charity I love makes me happy."

    Randy, WA

    "I use my Surface Pro for teaching classes at a small liberal arts college. With the wireless adapter, I'm able to move around the room and interact with my students while projecting information and I'm no longer stuck at the podium."

    Jen, IN

    "I've been a gamer since I was a kid. I didn't adopt the Xbox One early, and I regret that I didn't quite often. Since I purchased the Xbox One, I have become a cord cutter, enjoyed dozens of games with games with Gold, and been able to store over 3 terabytes of games and apps. The Xbox One changed my media world; without it, I never would have experienced this new world."

    Michael, MI

    "Skype, I love you! My family and I use it daily to keep in touch since we do not live near each other. I was able to view an engagement, a wedding, and the birth of my cousin among many other important occasions that I would have otherwise missed out on."

    Michelle, NJ

  • "'Breathtaking' is the right word. Whoever chooses the Bing home pages has an eye for nature's beauty and I for one deeply appreciate it. It is a pleasure to wake up to such wondrous sights and I want to thank the team for caring to do the job so well."

    Peter, NY

    "I use Cortana to track packages that I'm waiting for. I can feed it a list of tracking numbers, and I get a nicely formatted update on where everything is."

    Craig, WA

    "I have the Skype set up on a tablet for my mom, who is 80 years old. With the auto accept video call for contacts, it’s a breeze to call her and talk – no hassles and only happy tears when she sees my 8-month-old baby!"

    Joe, NJ

    "With Surface Pro 4, it’s so great that I bring it to work daily and use it as part of my communication tool. I'm deaf, and Surface Pro 4 gave me a voice. Definitely the most powerful and versatile tablet I've ever used!"

    Roberto, WA

    "I check Bing every morning while I'm blow drying my hair. :) I get to see the news headlines and interesting stories, and the bonus is earning points to cash in for Amazon dollars. My husband does this too, and we save up to help with buying birthday and Christmas gifts for friends and family."

    Alecia, ND

    "Living in a rural community, I order a ton of stuff online. Cortana makes it easy to quickly enter a tracking # and get the latest status from the shipping carrier."

    Frank, TX

    "I purchased a Surface for my personal use and fell in love! I now have 6 for my business. I was moving them the other day and they were stacked on the table – 6 high-powered laptops stacked to only about 3" high. :)"

    Catherine, NC

    "I love Microsoft Rewards! It’s a quick and fun way to earn rewards that I use for my Xbox Live Gold account. I love getting my favorite Xbox One games or DLC just for doing fun activities or things I already do throughout the day. It makes it all feel connected. Thanks so much!"

    Weston, MI

    "Over the past year, I have gotten hooked on Xbox. I watched my grandsons playing, and given that the youngest was 3 when he started, and how he quickly learned how to use the controller without looking down at it, really inspired me. Both of them urged me to play, but the urging quickly turned into impatience with me because I had trouble learning what all of the buttons do. It didn't take me too long to learn, and I got hooked on 'Marvel Super Heroes' most often most playing alone until I beat the game. I am now playing 'Blazing Angels: Secret Missions of WWII'. It's a good game, but the Xbox console is what really makes it 'POP'. Fantastic graphics, sound, etc. make it very satisfying to complete a mission and keep playing. I'm a 66-year-old grandfather who loves this Xbox!!"

    Tim, LA

    "My wife and I used Skype while on our ten-day honeymoon to France. We used it to see and speak to our one-year-old daughter who we have never left for longer than a day. Skype made our fear of not seeing our daughter that much easier. We love using it and will continue using it."

    Jonathan, CA

    "I love Cortana. Anytime I need a definition or some information when I am writing a paper for college, all I need to do is ask Cortana, and BAM I am good to go!!!"

    Floyd, KY

    "I just love waking up every morning and sipping on a fresh brewed cup of coffee. Turning on my computer and opening Microsoft Edge and logging into Bing. All the top news stories of the day ready for me to read."

    Steven, CA

    "Microsoft has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. Every paper I wrote for school was typed up in Microsoft Word. I used Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations. In college, I'd use Microsoft Excel to plan my budget and class schedules. I graduated both high school and college with honors, thanks to Microsoft programs. Now I am an aspiring writer, and Microsoft Word is stilI my favorite word processor. I also earn points for Microsoft Rewards every day by searching on Bing and by using Microsoft Edge."

    April, MA

  • "Every day, I look forward to the daily offers because they present a unique opportunity to learn something about the world I live in. Who knew that Valentine's Day was on the same day as Extraterrestrial Culture Day? These daily trivia nuggets have made the experience extra rewarding for me."

    Jarod, NY

    "I love the Bing homepage images!! The photography is stunning, and I take the daily homepage quizzes to learn something new each day. I have downloaded many of the daily homepage images to be desktop wallpaper. The images also make for great 'teachable moments.' I am an elementary school special education teacher, and these photographs provide many opportunities for my students to be exposed to new nouns and concepts."

    Lisa, CA

    "I am a student teacher, and I could not live without my Surface Pro 4! It is so easy to transport, and it is awesome to be able to type lesson plans wherever I am. I say a little thank you for it every day!"

    Hannah, IA

    "Cortana is awesome. She keeps me safe in the car. I get texted all the time by my family, and while I'm driving she reads me my texts and transcribes my replies all without me looking at my phone once."

    John, WA

    "The Surface Pro is portable, functional, and has been my handy helper with all things wedding planning. My favorite feature is the easy-to-use split screen feature. Makes multitasking simple and organized."

    Catherine, FL

    "Skype keeps my kids connected to their grandparents. We live hours away from their closest grandparent. They argue over who is going to talk first, they get to show off new toys or awards, they show off missing teeth. Skype keeps the kids connected with family."

    Lee, PA

    "I love the pictures on the opening screen that are so breathtaking! They inspire me to want to travel more and discover new places. Another great feature is earning points that accumulate to earn gift cards while you're learning about things along the way."

    Susan, MI

    "I love the incentive of getting rewards. Doing the daily headline stories allows for me to become more informed about events going around in the world. I also just enjoy the occasional interesting story that comes along. And its great, because while also gaining knowledge, I get rewarded!"

    Casey, PA

    "I love being reminded based on location. I use that feature all the time. For example, hey Cortana, remind me to buy eggs when I'm near a grocery store. Or remind me to do X when I get home. Love it."

    Nibras, MI

    "The Bing home page inspires me to seek out the pics and travel to those locations. I have had more than several amazing adventures thanks to the ideas generated by the Bing home page. I have also been to more than several and instantly makes me smile and puts me in a great mood. Bing home page is my good morning world."

    Alan, PA

    "Cortana is a great assistant, by far the best I have used. She is quick, witty and gives me directions to places every time I need it. She also can call, text, or email anyone I want in my phonebook."

    TP, FL

    "As a photographer, using the Surface series has greatly improved my workflow. Being able to make adjustments directly on the screen rather than having to use a separate drawing tablet has made it much easier to get the results that I want."

    Steven, MD

    "I just learned how to Skype – and now I can SEE my son who is in college as well as hear his voice. It's a magnitude above a phone call – to see his smile, to know he is looking good, to be reassured that all is well. Thanks, Skype!"

    Michelle, WY

  • "Both of my sons were deployed in the same year to Afghanistan; during that time, Skype was a heart saver. Every day that they were able to, my son's would Skype their loved ones. Without that technology, that year would have been significantly harder than it was. Thank you Microsoft for Skype."

    DJ, OH

    "I needed a better way to keep track of my assignments due for college and test dates. Cortana gave me the ability to not only remind me, but also set deadline goals for myself."

    Jared, OH

    "I get on the computer every morning while I have my coffee and Bing is my first stop. I look forward to the picture every morning, and learning where it is and a bit about it. Then I am off to earn my points for the day. Always so much info to check out on the bar going across the bottom of my screen."

    Kristine, OR

    "It seemed too good to be true that I could earn points for real-life rewards just by searching for things like I normally would. I started clicking on random news stories on Bing at first just to earn the search points, but now it's evolved into a genuine interest to keep up with current events, while earning points all the while. Win-win."

    Megan, NJ

    "I love my Microsoft Surface. I travel almost every week, and once I went to the Surface, it made my life so much easier. Lightweight!!! and everything I need to be successful with my customers is on my Surface!"

    Janet, TX

    "My brother & I are both veterans and in Christmas of 08, he surprised me with an Xbox 360 with military shooters. We were bitten by the gaming bug. A few years later, we picked up Gears of War 3, along with some other former military friends. We became so close through Xbox, that my Xbox friends attended my wedding in 2015. And we are still close friends to this day!"

    John, PA

    "My kids love asking Cortana anything and everything! So if Mom doesn't know it, they ask Cortana and she usually knows it better and faster than I do!"

    Melinda, WA

    "I was so excited when I completed my research thesis using Microsoft Word. Initially, the idea of putting together a 200+ page document seemed daunting, but Word's awesome customizable styles, section numbering and drawing features made writing and formatting my thesis super easy."

    Andrew, NC

    "Grabbing morning coffee doesn't nearly start my day off on the right track, as seeing Bing's homepage images does. Bing gives me an escape, even if it's for a minute, it makes my whole day to see those images."

    Shamsa, NJ

    "Weird as it sounds, I actually look forward to Microsoft Rewards emails because I like taking the quizzes. I usually bomb out but I end up learning something new every time. And searching on Bing has become a regular daily habit for me. But hey, it's the small things in life, eh?!"

    Bessie, NC

    "Cortana is always there to greet me and remind me my schedule for the day. She's like my own personal assistant! I haven't forgotten an appointment or task yet!"

    Sheldon, WI

    "As a longtime musician/software engineer, my computer needs are quite diverse, and the Surface 4 meets these needs in a great mobile package. From software design to music recording and everything in between, it performs flawlessly."

    Pete, NY

    "My parents live in-town, but can't get enough of my 18-month-old daughter. Now they know how to Skype her, and it's a game-changer! My daughter absolutely loves talking (babbling) to her grandparents over Skype!"

    Jason, OH

  • "I start my days off at the office by logging onto Bing and looking to see what today's picture will be. These are often beautiful landscapes or really cool tech or perspective images. This is a great way to get me going in the right direction each day."

    Matt, TX

    "Every night before bed, I ask Cortana to set my alarm. Just a little thing, but it's so much quicker than picking the time from my alarm clock and setting it manually."

    Amanda, TX

    "I am an elementary school teacher, and I have taught abroad on and off for the past ten years. Skype has been vital to keeping in touch with my family and communicating with my communities at home when I'm out of the country. I can't thank you enough for Skype!"

    Nicolette, WA

    "I love my Surface. It's powerful enough to do serious dev work on it, yet it's as light as a feather. It has absolutely replaced my laptop. Now my daughter has one for school, and my wife has one for her business. They were jealous of mine!"

    Scott, MD

    "Microsoft Rewards has become part of my daily routine. I get to work, make myself a coffee and sit down in front of my computer. Before I open my emails I take 20 minutes to log in and take a look at todays highlights. I love learning new little things every day. And a plus, I get points to try to win a drone!!"

    Tatiana

    "I love Cortana! She is amazing, I use her for everything from setting my alarm, appointments, sending text messages and making calls. Thank you Microsoft!"

    Adam, IN

    "The homepage images have fueled trip planning for my family. The images bring wonder to my wife, my children, and ultimately me. Each has captured the interest of at least one of us and has made sharing them a daily occurrence around the dinner table."

    Jay, NY

    "Without Cortana, I would be completely lost now! It's part of my daily life, from waking up, to meetings and calendar items, to helping me with directions!! Love Cortana!!"

    Lauren, IL

    "Microsoft actually helps with family bonding! Both my son and I have Microsoft accounts. We compete with each other to see who can accumulate the most points, the fastest. We love Microsoft and it gives this mom and teenage son a mutual interest. Thank you for offering such a great program!"

    Lily, HI

    "I begin each day relaxing with a cup of coffee and Bing! What a wonderful way to start the day. I look forward to seeing what new and beautiful scene Bing has chosen for the day and exploring the beauty of our world. Bing just sets a wonderful tone for the rest of my day!"

    Bob, CO

    "My grandparents own multiple factories in South America (Peru), and unfortunately I get to see them every 3 years, but with the help of Skype and wifi, I am able to talk with them every weekend!"

    Matt, MI

    "I have been a gamer since I was a little kid and some of the best times I have had is when playing a Xbox. I really bonded with my friends and even my wife playing HALO games. It is a good stress relief and helps me escape from reality when I need a break. I would always recommend Xbox to all my friends and family. Thank you so much for bringing so much joy into my life."

    Alexander, AL

    "My Surface Pro 3 has changed how I study in medical school. I used to have PowerPoint printouts and numerous notebooks for my notes. Now, everything is in OneNote. The ability to annotate my lectures with the Surface Pen has changed the game of graduate education studying."

    Matt, NY

    "I use Cortana all the time on my computer. She's like my friend. She gives me the weather, sports scores, tells me what time it is in other time zones, and even does my math for me. In many ways, I'd be lost without her."

    Rose, OR

  • "I use Bing every day for search, as it's my favorite. In 2017, I've been very devoted to finding new charities to donate to. Thanks to Microsoft's Rewards program, and this month's doubling of donations, I was not only able to give my search money to charity, but was able to find new organizations that I might not have funded before."

    IJ, NY

    "When my son had to fly halfway around the world on business for a month to India 8,000 miles away, it was so great to Skype with him every day. I really love it. It was the next best thing to having him back home."

    Larry, WI

    "I use my Surface Pro and Bing daily in my M-F job. The portability to bring it home with me and still have access to everything, combined with the processing power to not feel held back because of the form factor are amazing! I couldn't imagine not having my Surface Pro."

    Jeremy, WV

    "Cortana is awesome! Love that I just can say what I want and she gets right to it. Make scheduling easier, finding things on the web, and what I love the most when I ask what's on my agenda for today, she always keeps me reminded of things I have to do and special days. Love it!"

    Brenda, MS

    "As an artist myself, I am truly grateful for Bing's awe-inspiring and breathtaking homepages! As the first thing I see when I turn to the internet, I face my task with determination and confidence, thanks to the media presented on my Bing homepage!"

    Kayleigh, PA

    "Microsoft products have made a very big impact on my life in an extremely positive way! I feel more connected with my friends and family and the unified experience between devices makes my life so much easier. I was never much of a gamer when I was younger, but being able to play Xbox with friends I can't see every day has helped me keep connections with the people that I care about, and I use Skype when I need to chat with someone away from my Xbox! I also have a Lumia 950 and Surface 3, and I really appreciate the streamlined experience that puts the focus on me and the people and things in my life. Overall, the interconnectivity and simplicity of Microsoft products helps me to feel comfortable when I am both working and using them for pleasure, and keeps me in contact with many people through fun activities and simple to use interfaces."

    Jake, WA

    "Thanks to Skype, my kids have been able to maintain relationships with their aunts, uncles, and grandparents in a way I couldn't when I was a kid. Even though their family lives miles and miles away, they can still be part of their life through Skype."

    Rick, NY

    "Having Cortana on my work computer has made things so much simpler! I almost don't need a Start menu, because any time I need a new application open, I can just speak to Cortana, and she opens it without having me break my 'flow' :-) It's definitely made multitasking go much much smoother!"

    Mike, WA

    "Traveling for a living, I needed something that is portable, but still able to perform like a desktop. My Surface Pro 3 has done this and more. Then I added a Microsoft Windows phone, and it works seamless with my Surface Pro 3. This year, I will be upgrading to the Surface Pro 4. Thank you for simplifying my life."

    Gary, TX

    "I start my day with yoga and then dive into Bing for a snapshot of what is happening in our world. The opening photo page every morning is always a fun surprise – seems an endless bank of material. Definitely a part of my morning routine! Love you guys!"

    Cheryl, WA

    "Microsoft has got me in a daily routine to search the Bing news, on my mobile while having breakfast, and then later on my PC to catch up on the day's news and receive points doing it! I look forward to getting all my points daily and looking for the extra points in my email account."

    Fred, NY

    "My family and I use Xbox every single day. We use it to play games, watch Netflix and Hulu and even to listen to music. My favorite game to play is pinball. My 2 sons (10 and 20 years of age) play many types of games though. We love how we can download games onto our accounts. So easy and convenient. Plus we don't have to worry about the disks getting ruined. (Big Smile)"

    Heather, OR

  • "My day begins with pulling up Bing and taking advantage of the Rewards points. I'm using the points to purchase Xbox Gold for 12 months. It's not that I can't afford it, but it's one of those things that you feel accomplished achieving. Everyone loves earning points and getting rewarded."

    Nate, AZ

    "One of my biggest Christmas memories as a child was the year the original Xbox came out. I have four siblings, and most of us were gamers in some capacity. Prior to the Xbox, my siblings and I, along with the neighbor kids at times, would squish together around a computer keyboard to play our computer games together. However, that year, we were completely taken by surprise when our parents bought us our first gaming console for Christmas – the original Xbox. We each had our own controller, and could actually play games together without being on top of each other. We played Halo endlessly – from the story mode in every difficulty setting, to exploring every crevice of each multiplayer map. We shared a lot of childhood memories together because of the original Xbox. Thank you, Microsoft!"

    Nekoda, CA

    "I am a teacher, and every day I use Bing to look up random facts for my kids. They love it! And it keeps learning fun. We also look up pictures of things for history and science, so they can see for themselves what we're learning about. It's amazing!"

    Caitlyn, IN

    "From taking class notes, going to meetings, or having a lightweight means of doing work on the go, my Microsoft Surface has been a key to my academic success in both undergrad and grad school. OneDrive makes it easy for me to keep all of my files up to date between my work computer, my home computer, my laptop, and my Surface."

    Olivia, CA

    "I use Skype on an almost daily basis to keep in touch with my family and friends from the comfort of my college dorm. We can quickly share links, pictures, videos, or music. When we need to help each other, we can start a call and share screens. And we laugh at all the fun little emoticons available."

    Veronica, WA

    "Microsoft is what you might call an online family. Microsoft day to day is full of simple pleasures. I can hop on Microsoft Edge and earn Rewards Points towards gift cards for literally only searching things. Right now I am close to earning my second $5 Microsoft Store Gift card and I'm ecstatic. To think that all I have to do is take about 15 minutes out of my day and get searching [...] Daily, I set aside some time for leisure and game away on my Xbox One. The Xbox One is not only a very advanced piece of gaming technology, but it is a way I can connect with some of my other buddies over gaming. I, myself am very proud of Microsoft and hope they strive to create new and better technology while supporting their awesome Rewards system!"

    Kade, NY

    "I use Cortana routinely throughout my day. She sets my reminders, reminds me about promises I've made and keeps track of my trips and packages. It's really handy getting the notifications from her."

    Anthony, CO